Sustainable utilization of sugarcane bagasse for wood-based panels: A promising approach for waste management in Egypt

Abstract

One method to sustainable development is to reduce waste generation and recycle it in a way that contributes to the economic, social, and environmental goals of sustainable development. The study focuses on particle board production from Sugar Cane Bagasse (SCB). Various fiber-matrix combinations were used to create composites using SCB and epoxy resin matrix. Mechanical testing and water absorbance tests were employed to assess the effects of the epoxy content (0–25 wt%). The outcomes demonstrated that the optimal tensile strength of bio composites was attained by the 25 wt% of epoxy with SCB (18.49 Mpa). The water resistance duration property was improved in this study to reach 120 hours by mixing SCB with 25% epoxy. The results show that sugarcane bagasse-epoxy composites demonstrated acceptable mechanical and multifunctional properties. This portrays the effectiveness of Sugarcane bagasse and it a potential competitor to wood-based structural panels. The study uses the open LCA program to conduct a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment of binder-less particleboard from sugarcane waste manufacturing. Additionally, the study provided an overview of the cost estimation involved in utilizing bagasse as a substitute for MDF particle boards. Furthermore, the influence of pressing temperature on the properties of the particle boards is investigated.